You know those days when all you want is a hug in a bowl? That’s what chicken and dumplings is for me. It’s the one meal that tastes like my grandma’s kitchen smelled on a Sunday afternoon.
I’m going to show you how to make the creamiest, most comforting chicken and dumplings you’ve ever had. And the best part? We’re using a simple biscuit dough for the dumplings, so they come out perfect and fluffy every single time. This is the recipe that will make you feel like a kitchen superhero.
What You’ll Need
Getting your ingredients ready first is like, the number one rule of not having a meltdown mid-recipe. It’s called “mise en place” if you want to be fancy, but I just call it “not losing my mind.”
Here’s what you need for the chicken soup base. It looks like a lot, but it’s mostly stuff you probably have.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Unsalted Butter | 4 tablespoons |
| Yellow Onion | 1 large, chopped |
| Carrots | 2 medium, sliced |
| Celery | 2 stalks, sliced |
| Garlic | 3 cloves, minced |
| All-Purpose Flour | ¼ cup |
| Low-Sodium Chicken Broth | 6 cups |
| Whole Milk | 1 cup |
| Heavy Cream | ½ cup |
| Cooked Chicken | 3 cups, shredded |
| Frozen Peas | 1 cup |
| Dried Thyme | 1 teaspoon |
| Salt | 1½ teaspoons |
| Black Pepper | ½ teaspoon |
And for our super easy, never-fail biscuit dumplings. Please, for the love of all that is good, make sure your butter and milk are COLD. Not kinda cool. Ice cold. It makes all the difference.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| All-Purpose Flour | 2 cups |
| Baking Powder | 1 tablespoon |
| Sugar | 1 tablespoon |
| Salt | 1 teaspoon |
| Unsalted Butter | ½ cup (1 stick), cold |
| Whole Milk | ¾ cup, cold |
| Fresh Parsley | 2 tablespoons, chopped |
The Tools for the Job
You don’t need anything crazy fancy to make this happen. Just your basic kitchen stuff will do the trick.
- A big pot or Dutch oven: This is where all the magic is going to happen. Make sure it’s heavy and has a tight-fitting lid.
- Cutting board and knife: For all that veggie chopping.
- Measuring cups and spoons: Cooking is science, after all.
- A whisk: This is your best friend for getting a smooth, lump-free soup base.
- A medium bowl: For mixing up the dumpling dough.
- A pastry cutter or two knives: To cut that cold butter into the flour. Your fingers work too if you’re quick!
- A spoon or cookie scoop: For dropping those beautiful dumplings into the pot.
My Pro Tips for Perfect Dumplings
I’ve made this recipe more times than I can count, and I’ve made all the mistakes so you don’t have to. Here are the things I wish someone had told me the first time.
- Rotisserie Chicken is Your Secret Weapon. Seriously. Don’t feel like you have to boil a whole chicken for hours. A store-bought rotisserie chicken gives you perfectly cooked, flavorful meat in about five minutes of work. Just pull the meat off the bones, shred it, and you’re good to go. It’s a game-changer.
- Don’t Drown Your Dumplings. The soup should be at a gentle simmer, not a roaring boil, when you add the dumplings. You want little bubbles, not a hot tub. If it’s boiling too hard, the dumplings can fall apart and get gummy. Gentle is the name of the game.
- Whatever You Do, DON’T PEEK. Once you drop the dumplings in and put the lid on, set a timer and walk away. Don’t lift the lid. Not even for a tiny peek. The dumplings cook by steaming, and lifting the lid lets all that precious steam escape. This is the key to making them light and fluffy instead of dense and doughy.
- Taste and Season at the End. You’ll see we add salt and pepper, but the real final seasoning should happen right before you serve it. The broth thickens and the flavors get stronger as it cooks. Taste it after the dumplings are done and add more salt or pepper if it needs it. A bland soup is a sad soup.
Let’s Make Some Chicken and Dumplings!
Alright, are you ready? We’re going to do this in three main parts: making the soup base, mixing the dumplings, and then cooking it all together. Take a deep breath. You’ve got this.
Part 1: Building That Creamy Soup Base
Step 1: Melt your 4 tablespoons of butter in the big pot over medium heat. Let it get all foamy and delicious smelling.
Step 2: Add your chopped onion, carrots, and celery. This holy trinity of veggies is called a mirepoix, and it’s the foundation of so much flavor. Cook them for about 8-10 minutes, stirring once in a while, until they’re soft.
Step 3: Stir in the minced garlic and dried thyme. Cook for just another minute until you can smell the garlic. (Don’t let it burn, burnt garlic is the worst).
Step 4: Sprinkle the ¼ cup of flour over the vegetables. Stir it all together and cook for about two minutes. This part is super important—it cooks out the raw flour taste and helps thicken our soup. It should look like a thick paste coating the veggies.
Step 5: Slowly, and I mean slowly, pour in about one cup of the chicken broth while whisking like crazy. This will prevent lumps. Once it’s smooth, you can slowly pour in the rest of the broth, then the milk and cream. Keep stirring.
Step 6: Bring the soup to a gentle simmer. Let it cook for about 5 minutes to thicken up a bit. This is a good time to add your 1½ teaspoons of salt and ½ teaspoon of pepper.
Step 7: Stir in your shredded chicken and the frozen peas. Let it come back to a low simmer while you make the dumplings.
Part 2: Mixing the Fluffy Biscuit Dumplings
Step 1: In that medium bowl, whisk together the 2 cups of flour, 1 tablespoon of baking powder, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt.
Step 2: Cut your cold, cubed butter into the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter, two knives, or your fingertips. You want to keep working it until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized butter chunks still visible. (Those butter chunks are what make the dumplings tender!)
Step 3: Pour in the ¾ cup of cold milk and stir with a fork until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Don’t overmix it! Just stir until it comes together.
Step 4: Gently fold in the chopped parsley. Again, just a few stirs is all you need. Overworking the dough is the number one cause of tough dumplings.
Part 3: Cooking the Dumplings to Perfection
Step 1: Your soup should be at a gentle simmer. Not boiling, just bubbling lightly around the edges.
Step 2: Drop spoonfuls of the dumpling dough into the simmering soup. I like to use a regular spoon or a small cookie scoop to make them about the same size. They will puff up, so leave a little space between them.
Step 3: Once all the dumplings are in, put the lid on the pot. Turn the heat down to low.
Step 4: Set a timer for 15 minutes and DO NOT LIFT THE LID. I’m serious. Go do the dishes, check your phone, do anything but peek. Let that steam do its job.
Step 5: After 15 minutes, turn off the heat. You can finally lift the lid. The dumplings should be big, fluffy, and cooked through. You can test one by poking it with a toothpick—it should come out clean.
Step 6: Let it sit for a few minutes before serving. The soup will thicken up even more as it cools down a bit. Ladle it into big bowls and enjoy.
Substitutions and Fun Variations
This recipe is a great starting point, but feel free to make it your own!
- Add more veggies: A handful of corn, some sliced mushrooms, or green beans would be great in here. Add them with the peas.
- Make it herby: A little bit of fresh rosemary or sage in the soup base adds a wonderful earthy flavor.
- Use buttermilk: You can swap the whole milk in the dumplings for buttermilk to give them a little tang.
- No heavy cream? You can use half-and-half or even evaporated milk in a pinch for the soup. The flavor will be a little different, but it will still be creamy.
Leftovers and Storage
If you somehow have leftovers, they are amazing the next day. The soup gets even thicker and the flavors really sink in.
Store it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The dumplings will absorb some of the liquid and get a little softer, but they’re still delicious. Reheat it gently on the stove over low heat, adding a splash of milk or broth if it’s too thick. I wouldn’t recommend microwaving it, as it can make the dumplings rubbery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. My dumplings were dense and heavy. What did I do wrong?
Ans: You probably overmixed the dough. The key to light dumplings is to handle the dough as little as possible once you add the milk.
Q2. Can I use frozen vegetables instead of fresh?
Ans: Totally. A bag of frozen mixed vegetables (the kind with peas, carrots, corn, and green beans) works perfectly. Just toss them in when the recipe calls for the frozen peas.
Q3. Can I make this ahead of time?
Ans: You can make the soup base a day or two ahead and keep it in the fridge. When you’re ready to eat, just bring it to a simmer and then make and add the fresh dumpling dough.
Q4. Can I freeze chicken and dumplings?
Ans: I don’t really recommend it. The dumplings can get a weird, spongy texture when they’re thawed and reheated. This is one of those meals that’s best enjoyed fresh.
Wrapping Up
There you have it. A big, warm pot of the best chicken and dumplings, made right in your own kitchen. It’s simple, honest-to-goodness comfort food that fills your house with the best smells and makes everyone at the table happy.
Now it’s your turn. Give this recipe a try on the next chilly night or when you just need a little taste of home. I promise, you won’t be disappointed. When you make it, come back and leave a comment below. I’d love to hear how it turned out for you